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Jun; 19, 1923.

C. F. SHOENFELT ET AL BOTTLE; HOLDER Filed July 5. 1921 Patented June19, 1923.

CHARLES FL SHOENFEL'E, 0F VANDl-KLIA,

PArsnr oFFicE.

EC. COOK, OF DAYTON, AND FRED- ERICK Hi COOK, OZ? TIPPECANGE, OHIO; SAIDGEORGE H. COOK ASSIGNOR TO SAID SHOENFELT.

BGTTL'E Application filed July 5,

H. Coon, of Tippecanoe, in the county of Miami and State of Ohio, allcitizens of the United States of America, have invented certain new 1and useful Improvements in Bottle Holders, of which the following; is aspecification.

Our invention relates to a safety deposit box for milk bottles and thelike, in which the delivery man may deposit the bottle of milk for thecustomer, and the customer in turn redeposits the empty bottle to bereturned.

' lVhileone of the primary objects of the invention is to prevent thebottle being stolen or removed by unauthorized persons, an equally asimportant feature of the invention is to compel the return of emptybottles by requiring the insertion of an empty bottle in order torelease the full bottle.

The object ofthe invention. is to simplify the structure as well as themeans and mode of operation'of such safety devices. whereby they willnot only be cheapened in construction, but will be more efficient inuse. positive in operation, automatic in action, easily operated andunlikely to get out of repa r.

A further object of the invention to provide an improved'form ofcontainer lockable closure therefor, and indepcn'i of additional lockingmeans for the n'nerzjed bottle.

Further Object of the invention is to provide a container having; meansfor I. I i or registering the bottles inserted in removed therefrom.

A further object of the invention is to provide bottle locking' means.operated by the insertion of a second bottle, hereby necessitating thereturn of empty bottles by the customer.

'VVith the above and other incidental objects in view ,aswill more fullyappear in the specification,the invention HOLDER.

1921. Serial No. 482,410.

consists of the features of construction, the parts and combinationsthereof, and the mode of operation or their equivalents as hereinafterdescribed and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanyingdrawings, wherein is shown the preferred butobviously not the only embodiment of the invention, Fig. 1 is aperspective view of the bottle holder or deposit box with the lid raisedshowing the device attached to the side of a building. Fig. 2 is avertical sectional view on the diagonal line 2-2 of Fig. Fig. 3 is a topview of the bottle locking devices shown in Fig. 2.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughoutthe several views.

The device forming the subject matter hereof, comprises a housing orcontainer to be fixedly mounted in any suitable and convcnient positionas by being firmly attached to a house, a post planted in the ground, orother structure conveniently located for the delivery ofmilk or otherbottled products. The bottles maybe easily and quickly deposited thereinby the delivery-man withoutpreliminary manipulation or unlocking of thedevice, yet the device will discourage petty thefts by making; it morediflicult and inconvenient for an unauthorized person to remove thedeposited bottle of milk. It is quite true that a thief having theintention of stealing the bottle of milk would abnormally providehimself with an empty bottle which as hereafter described is necessaryto release the full bottle. However, such thefts are not ordinarilypremeditated, anda milk thief does not usually go provided with a supplyof empty milk bottles, The primary purpose. however, other than theprevention of petty thievery is to compel. the return of the emptybottles by the customer. Milk distributors lose quite considerable sumseach year thru the loss of bottles, the return of which neglected by thepurchaser. Such bottles are frequently used as containers for othercommodities and in many instances are merely neglected and allowed toaccumulate in vast quantities at the expense and loss of thedistributor. The pres ent device is designed to compel the customer toreturn an empty bottle for each full bottle received. To this end theconstruction embodies locking means for the full bottle, whichisreleased only on the introduction of an empty bottle, into the device.It will also discourage carelessness in the handling and breakage ofbottles by the customer, in-

asmuch as the customer is under the necessity of providing a new bottlein order to secure his full'bottle of milk.

Discussions frequently arise between the delivery-man and the consumerrelative to the number of bottles of milk delivered.

This is particularly true when some bottles may have been stolen, or thedelivery-man mayhave forgotten to deliver bottles on one or moreoccasions. To obviate such difficulties the present device has beenprovided with a counter or register operated by the insertion of thebottle by which the bottles.

side of the housing, a supporting post or other structure. The housingor container 1 is preferably of sheet metal, the walls of which arelined with asbestos board or other materialof non heat conductingproperties. The purpose of this lining 3 is to protect the contents ofthe holder or container against distributor.

the heat in summer and cold in winter. The top of the housing 1. isprovided with a hinged box like closure 4, having a spring lOCk'5. Theclosure lid 4t is of sufficient capacity that it will permittheinsertion of a print of butter or carton of eggs or other commoditiesusually delivered by the milk Such additional commodities may be locatedwithin the top of the container or holder, and projects within theclosure lid. Located within the interior of the housing 1 are aplurality of spaced dia phragms 5, 6 and 7, each having therein acircular opening 8 of sufiicient diameter to permit the passage of avbottle of milk therethru. The housing or container is also pro-- videdwith a like bottom plate 9 having a similar opening to permit theinsertion of the bottles from the bottom. The diaphragms 5 and 6 and thebottom plate 9. are each. provided with a plurality of radially disposedspring actuated plungers 10 reciprocating within keepers or guides 11secured to the diaphragms and plate, and retractiblc outwardly in aradial direction against the tension of springs 12. The springs 12engage the upper diaphragm successive bottle engages to retract theplungers against the tension of the spring 12. The plungers 10 carriedby the intermediate diaphragm 6 and the bottom plate 9 form yieldingsupport or rests uponwhich the bottles are carried. The uppermost seriesof plungers carried by the diaphragm 5 possess a locking function, andby their engagement with the shoulder or swell of the bottle theyprevent removal from the holder. To effect this locking engagement ofthe uppermost series of plungers, each plunger is provided with avertically disposed reciprocatory locking rod 16, extending thruregistering holes in the diaphragms 5 and6 by which the rod is guided,and impelled upwardly by means otsprings 17 engaging at one end collars18 carried by such rod, and at opposite end stirrups or brackets 19,which form abutments for the spring. At their lower ends these stop rods16 are operatively connected with substantially L-shaped levers 20,pivoted to lugs or cars 21, upon a perforated diaphragm or plate 22,located intermediate the diaphragm 6 and bottom plate 9. These L-shapelevers 20 normally overhang the central opening of the plate 22 andextend into the path of movement of bottles inserted thru the bottomplate 9.' The engagcment of the inserted bottle with these projectingcontrol levers, rocks such levers about their pivotal connection withthe ears 21, thereby retracting the stop rods .16 against the tension oftheir sprin 17 throwing the upper endot the stop rot out of the path oftravel 01? the plunger 10 carried by These plungers are then free toreciprocate against the tension of their spring as the bottle containedin the upper portion ofthe holder and resting upon the plunger of thediaphragm 6 is lifted therefrom. y I

Mounted within. the housing 1 at any convenient point is a counter orregister 23 the counting wheels of which or indicators are visible thruan opening or window 24t in the wall of the holder. This register or.counter 23 may be of any suitable or convenient form that shown in thedrawings being a. convert tional type of counter now in use. Theoperating lever 25 of this counter has been shown connected by a link 26withone of the control levers 20. The construction is such that each.time the lever 20 is oscillated by the insertion of a bottle the lever25 of the counter will be actuated in unison to add one upon the wheelsor conntingelements. of'such register.

tially as follows: The delivery man inserts a full bottle of milk intothe holder orcont ainer 1 thru the bottom plate 9. The pressure of thehead of thebottle upon the retractible plunger 10 carried by the plate 9forces these plungers outwardly or radially to permit the bottle to passupwardly thru the plate 9 whereupon the plungers 10 are spring actuatedto their vinward positions beneath the'bottom of the bottle to formrests or supports therefor. In inserting the full bottlethru the bottomof the holder the delivery man engages the empty bottle therein upon theend of the full bottle push- .ing it upwardly and causing the head ofthe empty bottle to engage the retractible plungercarried by the medialdiaphragm 6 forcmg them outwardly against their spring tension in likemanner, until the empty bottle is inthe upper portion of the holder. Theplungers 10 carried by the medial diaphragm 6 thereupon spring back intoplace beneath the bottom of, the empty bottle and then support it in itselevated position. The insertion of the full bottle has caused theengagement and oscillation of the pivoted L-shaped lever 20 with whichthe shoulder or swell of the bottle has a camming action, therebyretracting the locking rod 16 out of engagement with the plungers 10 0fthe uppermost diaphragm 5.- This leaves these locking plungers free toreciprocate and the delivery man lifts the empty bottle out of the topof the holder. The locking plungers are retracted against the tension oftheir spring by the lifting of the bottle. If butter, eggs or othercommodity are to be delivered also, these are placed in the top of theholder upon the uppermost diaghragm 5 and the closure lid 4 is pressedown, causing its spring lock to be auto-v maticall engaged.

In or er to secure the bottle of milk, the consumer must unlock thehousing and remove anypackage which has been placed in the top of theholder, in addition to the milk. An empty milk bottle is. thenintroduced through the bottom plate 9 engaging the full bottle of milkthen resting upon the plunger of the bottom plate 9 elevating such fullbottle thru the intermediate diaphragm into the upper portion of theholder. The

retracted plungers 10of the diaphragm 6 and bottom plate 9 will thenspring back into place to support the two bottles in position. However,the empty bottle in the mean time has held the oscillating levers 20 inoperated position to retract the locking rod 16 so that the full bottleis released by the plungers u on the diaphragm 5 and free to be removedWithout a bottle in the lowerportion of the device to hold the levers 20in oscillated position and the locking rod 16 retracted, the lockingplungers 10 upon the diaphragm 5 will remain locked in their innermostposition, and in such-relation as to intercept the bottle of milk andprevent its removal therethru.

From the above description it will be apparentthat there is thusprovided a device of the character described possessing the particularfeatures of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but whichobviously is susceptible of modification in its-form, proportions,detail construction and arrangement of parts without departing from.

the invention is not limited. to the specific details shown, but thatthe means and construction herein disclosed comprise but one of severalmodes of putting the invention into effect, and the invention istherefore claimed in any of its forms or modifications within thelegitimate and valid scope of the appended claims.

Having thus deseribed'our invention, we claim:

1. A bottle holder through which the bottles are movable axially in avertical direction, locking means for preventing the removal of a bottletherefrom and means to release said bottle by the insertion of a secondbottle.

:2. A bottle holder capable of containing a plurality of bottles throughwhich the bottles are axially movable in a vertical direction,

of a bottle and means engaged by a bottle lnserted a-xiallythrough theingress for enabling the removal of a. through said exit opening.

In a bottle holder requiring the insertion of a bottle to propel'to theexit another already in the holder, a container, bottle ret ainingmeans-to prevent the removal of the bottle contained therein, andcontrol means extendingintothe path of a second. bottle insertablewithin the container, said second bottle contacting the first bottle topropel the same past the retaining means released by the engagement ofthe second bottle with said control means.

4:. In a bottle holder, a container, a re ta-iner in the path ofmovement of a bottle inserted therein, a lock for said retainer, and amovable member also extending into the path of movement of an insertedbottle and by its movement under the influence of the bottle unlockingsaid retainer to enable the removal of a prior inserted bottle.

5. In a bottle holder, a container, havingingress and exit openings, aspring actuated detent extending into the path or" movement bottle 1axially of a bottle therethrough, a locking plunger movable into and outof the path of said detent, and a control member also extending into thepath of movement of the bottle adapted upon engagementof a bottletherewith to withdraw said locking plunger.

6. A housing having a lockable closure, bottle retaining means withinsaid housing for locking abottle against removal indiependent ot saidclosure, said housing having an access opening independent of saidlockable closure and means for disengaging the bottle retaining means bythe insertion'of a second bottle through said access opening.

7 v In a "bottle holder, a container,-bottle engaging members thereinspaced apart a the movement of a bottle in relation therewith, one setof said plungers being adapted to support the bottle in elevated.position within the container, the other set of plungers being adaptedto prevent the Withdrawal of the bottle therefrom, and means extendinginto the path of a second bottle insertable within the container forreleasing the first mentioned bottle. 9. In a bottle holder, acontainer, having a capacity for two superposed bottles, means forindependently supporting said bottles within the container, detent meansengageable with one of the bottles to prevent the removal thereof andmeans engageable with the other bottle for releasing the first mentionedbottle.

10. In a bottle holder, a container having a a capacityfor twosuperposedbottles, means for independently supporting said bottleswithin the container, a retractable plunger projecting into the path oftravel of one of the bottles to limit the movement thereof, a

locking member movable into and out of the path of the plunger to lockthe same against withdrawal from the path of the bottle, and a leverengaged by the second bottle and operatively connected'with said lockingmemwith its support, and means controlled by the insertion of the secondbottle for releasing thefirst mentioned bottle. I

12. In a bottle holder, a container having capacity for two superposedbottles,-yielding eratively connected withsaid movable memsupports forthe respective bottles in spaced relation one with the other, aplurality of one for each stop operatively connected rtherewith andactuated by the insertion of a second bottle to release the firstbottle.

In a bottle holder, a'container, means for supporting a bottle therein,a movable member actuated by' the engagement of a bottle therewitli,*anda counter device opber. I i 1.4L; In a bottle; holder, ahou'sing,aflockable closure therefor, detent means for looking a bottle withinthecontainer independent of the .lid' and means unlocking the bottle detentindependent of the lockable closure. i i

I so

15. In a bottle holder, a housinghaving ingress and exit openingsthrough which a bottle is passed in an axial direction, a pluralityofradially disposedplungers located at spaced intervals throughoutthepath of movement of the bottle through the housing, means for lockingoneset of said plungers, in position to arrest the movement-of the bottlethrough said housing, andtrip means for engagement bya second bottle to;release said plungers to permit the r'emov'a'lo'f the first bottle.

16. In a bottle holder, a housing through which a suc'cession'of bottlesare passedin longitudinal alinement-"o'ne with another, a plurality ofseries of radially disposed plungers normally projecting into the pathof movement of the bottles, the respective sets of plungers beingindependently operable by the engagement of the bottles therewith, meansfor locking one set 'of plungers against retraction to arrestthe'inovement of abottle, and trip means extending into'the path of asucceeding bottle.

IT-"In a bottle holder, a'housing, retractable supportsdocated at spacedintervals supports being retractable by the engagement of the bottletherewith, substantially as specifiedlf f 18. In a bottle holder. ahousing, through upon which a bottle successively rests, said which thebottle is passed in a verticaldirection, succession of retractable stopmembers projecting into the "path of movement of the bottle through saidhousing and retracted by engagement of the bottle therewith, said stopmembers being automatically returned to the path of the" bottle afterthe passagethereofto prevent return 1 movement and support the bottleinsuccessive stages of movement throu'gh theihous- 19. In a bottle holder,a 'housingthrough which one bottleis propelled by the engageset ourhands this 18th day of June, A. D.

ment of a second bottle therewith, stop 1921. means for preventingreturn movement of CHARLES F. SHOENFELT. the bottles and a detent forlimiting for- GEORGE H. COOK. 5 ward movement of the advance bottleuntil FREDERICK H. COOK.

the second bottle has reached a predeter- Witnesses: mined position.1-1. M. OLINE,

In testimony whereof, We have hereunto G. O. HELMIG.

